Tuesday, December 06, 2016

Chapter 13 was the
Kingdom parables. They explained various aspects about the coming Kingdom. In
this chapter, we see the further transition of the coming Kingdom. John Baptist
is imprisoned and eventually murdered by Herod Antipas. This marks the literal
end of the Old Testament prophets. John was the very last.

If you
were looking for a particular transition point from the old to the new, this is
it. How does Jesus respond? Does He then pursue the overthrow of Herod and the
Roman occupation?

Yes,
but not as anyone had imagined. He does so through the proclamation of the
gospel. Furthermore, He does not do this directly, through His own immediate
power. It becomes clear that His methodology is going to be the coming kingdom.
He is coming into power but that means that His workers, the apostles and
disciples are going to be the means of establishing, maintaining and growing
the kingdom.

I
believe this is somewhat of a surprise to the disciples. They were expecting the
Son of God to use His miraculous power to overthrow the powers and establish
them as vice-regents in the land. They wanted to see a return of the Davidic
Kingdom the way it had been a 1000 years before. But they were thinking too
small.

Jesus
had to teach them how to think big. How to feed 5000 with a lunch for 12. How
to feed 5 million with a 12 baskets of bread and fish.

EXEGESIS

At that time Herod the
tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus,2And said unto his
servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore
mighty works do shew forth themselves in him.

3For Herod had laid
hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias’ sake,
his brother Philip’s wife.4For John said unto him, It
is not lawful for thee to have her.

Herod
Antipas was the son of Herod the Great. His brother Phillip was also a ruler
after Herod the Great’s death. Antipas ruled in Galilee. He had married
Herodias. Herodias was married to Philip, who was her uncle. That, too, was an
unlawful marriage. Herod compounds the unlawfulness by taking both his niece
and his brother’s wife in marriage.

This
is an excellent passage to comment on what are and are not lawful marriages.
John Baptist had no problem telling the secular ruler what should be lawful. He
was making this claim solely from the Bible. The Romans had laws concerning
incestual marriages but they were applied variously. Some of the Caesars were
known for unlawful relations with family members but were able to get away with
it because they were in power.

This
was clearly also the case in the Herod family. But we must keep in mind that
these families represent a secular power established by the Roman overlords. The
Phrisees even acknowledge authority of Roman law when they arrest Jesus and
condemn Him to death. They appeal to Pilate to condemn Him because they said it
was no lawful for them to do so. Historically, the Jews could have condemned a
man to death but the sentence would have been carried out by the civil
authorities. The Pharisees were making the claim that the Jewish religious law
condemned Jesus but that they themselves were unable to carry out the sentence
of death. They needed the Romans to do that. Thus, it was Roman law that was
operable in the land.

When
John Baptist tells Herod that it is not lawful for him to have his brother’s
wife, who is also his niece, he is appealing to Deuteronomy. He is saying that
God’s law applies to Herod, even if Herod can get away with it because he is
the king or because the current enforcers of the law have no problem with your
marriage. John Baptist is clearly saying that God’s law for marriage is the one
that applies.

We
should learn the lesson. No matter what the current culture says is marriage,
if God says that the marriage is unlawful, then it is unlawful, period.

5And when he would
have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a
prophet.

Herod
wanted to just kill John Baptist but he was afraid it would cost him political
brownie points. He may have feared some kind of protests or riots. That was
unlikely and it did not in fact, occur. But it was clear from his behavior that
John Baptist had a significant and influential following.

6But when Herod’s
birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased
Herod.7Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her
whatsoever she would ask.

This
was likely a large and lascivious event. These were unscrupulous people and
Herodias used her daughter to arouse and manipulate her husband. Herod is so
moved by her dance that he makes a foolish promise to her.

8And she, being before
instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist’s head in a
charger.

Herodias
knew her husband well. She had planned on him making a foolish offer to Salome.
Salome asks for John Baptist to be killed.

9And the king was
sorry: nevertheless for the oath’s sake, and them which sat with him at meat,
he commanded it to be given her.

Herod
could have refuse Salome’s request. However, at this point, he no doubt knows
that he was duped by his wife and thought he could not refuse the promise.

10And he sent, and
beheaded John in the prison.11And his head was brought
in a charger, and given to the damsel: and she brought it to her
mother.

This
was a grizzly meal. Talk about a turn of events. It went from a lavish and
likely lascivious birthday party to a head dripping with blood brought out on a
platter. Furthermore, can you imagine a young woman delivering the head to her
mother?

12And his disciples
came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus.

John
must decrease and Jesus must increase. This was the end of an era, the end of
the Old Testament as we know it. From this time on, the church belonged to the
New Testament.

We
should see from the rest of the chapter that Jesus is going to inaugurate a new
kind of Kingdom. His reign begins and He immediately sends the message that His
disciples will be the rulers of the new kingdom. YOU give them something to
eat.

13
When Jesus heard of it, he departed
thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard
thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities.

Jesus
went to mourn, to pray, to prepare for His kingdom which had now arrived. The
people flock to Him.

14And Jesus went forth,
and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he
healed their sick.

Jesus
is in the business of meeting needs and we should be, too. He was moved with
compassion toward them and He healed their sick. Jesus still does this in a
spiritual sense. He heals the sick of heart. But He calls us to more than this.
The disciples were told to feed the crowd. They were to give them food.

Furthermore,
it has been Christians through the ages that have healed the sick by starting
hospitals, developing mercy ministries and providing for the needs of the poor.
This work has become the province of the modern nanny state. It should not be
so. As we pray for and work towards Reformation and Revival, one of the aspects
of this revival will be that the government will do less in these areas and the
Church will do more.

15And when it was
evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the
time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages,
and buy themselves victuals.

Jesus
gathers a multitude and the disciples want to send them away. Can we relate to
this? Do we want a multitude? But they are sick. But they have problems. But
they are sinners. And, we have to feed them!

Shall
we be like Jesus or His disciples. Do we want to send away the weak, the lame,
the infirm or do we want to heal them? Shall they go away and see to their own
needs or shall we be moved with compassion to feed them?

16But Jesus said unto
them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat.

It
is as if Jesus responds, “What are you talking about? We are here so that they
would be here and would seek me out. We do not want them to leave. We want them
to stay. Let us trust in God to feed them. You trust. You feed them.”

17And they say unto
him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes.

There
is a lot of doubt here and very little faith. Thank God that Jesus works well
with very little faith.

18He said, Bring them
hither to me.

What
have you got to offer? Only just a little bit. Not much at all. Certainly,
concerning all of these needs? Almost nothing. It will not due. They will all
starve, for sure. But Jesus takes our little offerings and makes a feast.

Whatever
you have to offer before the Lord, then bring it to Jesus. He will make
something of it.

19And he commanded the
multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two
fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to
his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.

Jesus
gave thanks to His Father. He acknowledged that whatever they did have, came
from the Father of all provision. He gave to the disciples and the disciples
distributed. That is how God works. Most of the blessing that He provides is
through people. In that sense, God’s people are the hands of Jesus.

20And they did all eat,
and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets
full.21And they that had eaten were about five
thousand men, beside women and children.

I
think it fitting to spiritualize these verses as long as we don’t leave them
there. Jesus fills up His people. There is no lack and there is great
abundance. If we have the blessing of Jesus, we filled up to overflowing. This
is true whether our bellies are full or not, whether we in sickness or health,
whether we struggle or walk in victory.

But
I don’t want to leave this blessing as merely spiritual. Jesus actually fed the
people. He gave them bread. God has promised to provide our earthly need. He
feeds and clothes us. We have every confidence that He will do this. He
provides for the sparrows but we are of much more worth to Him than them. Trust
Him. Do not worry about these things.

Over
15,000 people were fed with five loaves of bread and two fish. Think about that
for a moment. Imagine the Vine Center full and everyone hungry. Now imagine
five loaves and two fishes. They all eat heartily and are full. Moreover, the
food keeps growing. There is excess.

Twelve
basket fulls were taken up. Twelve is enough for every tribe in Israel. If you
can feed 15,000 with five loaves and two fishes, how many can you feed with
twelve bushels of bread and fish? The number is unlimited. You can feed
everyone who is hungry.

Matt.
14:22 And straightway Jesus
constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the
other side, while he sent the multitudes away.23And
when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray:
and when the evening was come, he was there alone.

After
this great work, Jesus got alone to pray.

24But the ship was now
in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.25And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus
went unto them, walking on the sea.26And when the disciples
saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and
they cried out for fear.27But straightway Jesus
spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.

Jesus
waited in prayer while He sent His disciples into a storm to be threatened by
the wind and the waves. He intended to save them but they really were in
danger.

It
was late in the middle of the night when Jesus came to them. He came walking on
the sea. The feeding of the 5000 and walking on the sea revealed who Jesus was.

They
saw Jesus but in their state of alarm did not recognize Him. Instead of being
comforted by His presence, they were fearful.

Is
that not the case with many of us? We are in the storms of life and we fail to
recognize that Jesus is near. Listen to Jesus. He says, “It is I; be not
afraid.”

28And Peter answered
him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.

Peter
responds in faith but with a somewhat odd and perhaps even foolish request. But
it appears that the Lord does want us to do what He does. He feeds the five
thousand as we should. He walks on water as we can.

29And he said, Come.
And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to
Jesus.

Don’t
you wish you could have seen this? Peter got out of the boat and began to walk
on the water.

30But when he saw the
wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord,
save me.

The
Lord does want us to have faith in Him. He is the rule of the wind and the sea.
Do we really believe that? Then get out and walk on the water. But what if the
waves are contrary? What if things look really bad? Then do you believe Him? Or
do become afraid and start to sink?

We
need to grow up into Jesus. We need to understand that He is ruler of troubled
waters. But we also need to learn that if we start to sink, He is there to save
us.

31And immediately Jesus
stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of
little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? 32And when they were come into the ship, the
wind ceased.33Then they that were in the ship came and
worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.

We
tend to think of the great faith of Peter to get out of the boat and walk on
the water. But Jesus upbraids him for his little faith. Once Jesus got in the
boat, the wind ceased. Then they worshipped Him knowing that He really was the
Son of God. They got the point of the feeding of the 5000, of the walking on
the water, of the command of the wind and waves. That is what Jesus can do
because that is what God can do.

EXHORTATION

Matt. 14:34
And when they were gone over, they came into the land of
Gennesaret.35And when the men of that place had knowledge
of him, they sent out into all that country round about, and brought unto him
all that were diseased;36And besought him that
they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made
perfectly whole.

After these events Jesus immediately resumes His
healing ministry. He came to heal the land, heal the people and that is what He
does.

All who are diseased must come to Jesus. And as
many as touch Him or as many as He touches are made perfectly whole.

This meal is just a pinch of bread and wine. But what is it really? It is sitting down to dine together on the Lord Jesus. Sometimes when we think of it in those terms, His body and blood, it seems a morbid meal. But Jesus, Himself, said, “You must eat my flesh and drink my blood.” What was He getting at?

We are to be one with Him. He is to fully possess us, body and soul. The food that is Jesus is a feast.

When we eat this little bit of bread and drink this little sip of wine, we are saying that we belong completely to Jesus and that Jesus has possessed us completely. We are part of Him and He is part of us, becoming one with Him just as He is one with His Father. This was His high priestly prayer for us and it has come true.

If this is true, then there is no greater food. There is no superior banquet. We are in the banqueting hall with the High King and He has promised us not up to half His Kingdom but the entire Kingdom. We are joint heirs with Christ. He has prepared a feast far beyond our hopes or expectations and He has sealed His promise with His own body and blood.

Then how is this learning to feast? It is the meal of Thanksgiving. The Eucharist is giving thanks. Feasting is food with gratitude. No gratitude. No feasting. Just food. So, learn to feast. Be thankful.

We
are in the second week of Advent and Christmas is coming. For us Christians it
is helpful to think in terms of Jesus coming. He is coming to you. He will
arrive soon. By Christmas, for sure. But Jesus is coming before then. He is
coming today. He is coming here to this worship service. You have entered into
His palace and will be waiting upon Him at His Table.

How should
we prepare for the arrival of Jesus? We examine ourselves. Are our clothes
tidy? Are we clothed in the robe that Jesus gave us? It is without spot, or
wrinkle or any such thing? Or, do we need to wash our garments in the cleansing
power of confession, repentance, forgiveness and restoration.

Jesus
is coming. Are we in need of a Savior? We are if we confess that we are sinners
and that our only hope is in His saving grace. That is the preparation for the
gospel of peace. Get that and you are ready for Him to arrive, to speak to you,
to sup with you and to send you out in His blessing.

But Jesus is coming before then. He is
coming today. He is coming here to this worship service. You have entered into
His palace and will be waiting upon Him at His Table.

How should
we prepare for the arrival of Jesus? We examine ourselves. Are our clothes
tidy? Are we clothed in the robe that Jesus gave us? Is it without spot, or
wrinkle or any such thing? Or, do we need to wash our garments in the cleansing
power of confession, repentance, forgiveness and restoration?

Jesus
is coming. Are we in need of a Savior? We are if we confess that we are sinners
and that our only hope is in His saving grace. That is the preparation for the
gospel of peace. Get that and you are ready for Him to arrive, to speak to you,
to sup with you and to send you out in His blessing.

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

This is no room for division. This room is the one where the saints gather in the name of Jesus, by His shed blood, in the forgiveness of sins, both received and granted.

This room is where sinners made saints gather to eat a holy meal because they have been made holy by a holy God. This room is where man has been reconciled to God through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. We have died in Him. We have been raised in Him. We live with Him.

This room is where sinners before God and sinners against one another have been reconciled with one another. Thus, the members of this room are one in Christ Jesus. This is no room for division for in this room there is no room for division.

Our Father, this Table is a
table of remembrance and thanksgiving. You have remembered us for good because
of the shed blood of Jesus. We respond with thanksgiving and gladly receive our
true food, the Lord Jesus, Himself. Feed us in Christ. Make us strong. Fill us
with gratitude until we overflow that we might do all things for the sake of
Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen.